by Peerzada Arshad Hamid
NEW DELHI, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed due to the impact of the Cyclonic storm Gulab that triggered gusty winds and heavy rains, local media reports said Monday.
The victims include a fisherman and a woman from the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
"A fisherman from Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh was killed and one injured as the cyclonic storm Gulab crossed the Bay of Bengal coast off Kalingapatnam on Sunday," a local media website The News Minute said.
The fisherman was part of a group of six who while returning back to their native village by the sea in a new boat that caught in the storm.
Separately on Monday, a 37-year-old woman died when a wall adjoining her house collapsed on her reportedly due to heavy rain brought by cyclone Gulab in the state's Visakhapatnam district.
According to officials, the woman was killed after the wall of the washroom collapsed on her.
Cyclone Gulab made landfall in northern coastal Andhra near the Kalingapatnam coast in Srikakulam district on Sunday evening.
Ahead of the storm authorities evacuated over 200,000 people to safe shelters in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.
Authorities had deployed disaster response force personnel in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to carry out rescue efforts.
"The cyclonic storm Gulab over north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha weakened into a Deep Depression at 2:30 a.m. local time Monday over north Andhra Pradesh. It is likely to continue to move west-northwestwards and weaken further into a Depression during the next six hours," India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. "The deep depression over south Odisha and adjoining north Andhra Pradesh, lay centered at 5:30 a.m. local time Monday, likely to move nearly westwards and weaken further into a depression during the next 12 hours."
Power supply has got disrupted in some affected areas of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha as trees and electricity poles have fallen.
India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel are clearing roads of uprooted trees and fallen electricity poles in the affected areas of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
Water flowed into the Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh and reports say around 70 villages lost connectivity to other areas. The low-lying areas of the Visakhapatnam district also faced flooding.
Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao took stock of the situation in the state due to heavy rains under the impact of cyclonic storm Gulab which weakened into a deep depression. The Chief Minister directed the officials to take necessary precautions against any loss of life or property as heavy rains across the state are likely to continue for another two days due to the impact of cyclone Gulab.
In May cyclone Yaas hit India's eastern coast causing largescale damage and destruction.
Prior to that cyclone Tauktae wreaked havoc killing many people in rain-related incidents in Karnataka, Goa, Kerala Maharashtra. At least 70 people were killed after barge P305 sank during cyclone Tauktae.
Experts say cyclones have become more frequent and severe because of climate change. Enditem
